Announced by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), the Shantou University Business School (STUBS) BBA programme was granted of EFMD Programme Accreditation System (EPAS) accreditation on 24th February 2012. The STUBS BBA programme (including three areas of specialization: General Management, Accounting, and Marketing) is the first BBA programme in Asia with EPAS accreditation.

EPAS is one of the international education quality accreditation systems organized by EFMD evaluating the quality and international level of various business and management programs. The EPAS is well known globally for its continuous preciseness and top-tier quality. The EPAS accreditation of the STUBS BBA program represents a significant progress in establishing “Advanced Undergraduate Education” at STU, also manifests the STUBS’ achievement in fulfilling its mission of “Enterprising Achievement, Global Mindset.”

STUBS has recently made efforts to join the international business and management education networks and insists in establishing an internationalized education system. STUBS’s eight-year strategic plan has highlighted a systematic and all-around International Strategy. Beginning with international accreditation initiatives, the School stresses the quality of undergraduate education and aims to nurture the new generation business talents with “Aspiration, Knowledge, Perseverance and Achievement.”

STUBS started the application for EPAS accreditation in March 2009. The School officially submitted the application in August 2010 and was qualified for the field peer review in September 2010. With the support from the University, STUBS launched a serious of initiatives and projects with the purpose of ensuring change and improvement and submitted self-assessment report to the EFMD in July 2011. The Peer Review Team visited STU and reviewed the institutional environment, design and delivery of program, education outcomes and quality assurance in STUBS. The Peer Review Team focused on the academic rigor, corporate relevance and internationalization of the BBA program. Granted on the basis of self-assessment report and related materials and after a Peer Review including interviews of wide-ranging people – senior management of the University and the Business School, faculty members, administrative staffs, current students, alumni, and employers - the Peer Review Team obtained understanding of the University as well as STUBS. The Peer Review Team gave high recognition to the education philosophy and efforts at STU and in STUBS, and appreciated the engagement of teaching faculty in student development as well as the quality and outcomes of the STUBS BBA program. The STUBS BBA program was granted EPAS accreditation in February 2012, in an accreditation meeting of EFMD.

The Business School received generous support and help from the management of the University, the senior management of the Li Ka Shing Foundation and other functional departments, alumni and employers. Prof. Peihua Gu, Provost of Shantou University, participated the strategy seminars of the Business School and addressed the idea and meaning of Internationalized Education at STU. Prof. Peihua Gu, as well as Dr. Anthony Fung, the representative from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, participated the field peer review. The university management and other functional departments provided helpful supports and resources. The alumni of the Business School around the world came back to the School and participated the interviews with the Peer Review Team to share their experience of study in STUBS. They also offered their comments and suggestions for the development of the School. The employer representatives from well-known domestic and global enterprises and organizations provided their understanding of the demand for human resources in the contemporary business world and evaluated the performance of STUBS graduates who work in their companies. Their contributions shed light on the future development of talent education in the Business School. All the faculty and students put full efforts into the journey of the application for EPAS accreditation and obtained high praise from the Peer Review Team for their engagement and professionalism.

For STUBS, the accreditation constitutes a strong incentive and control mechanism for continuous progress. It becomes a starting point for building an international brand of business and management education. Also, it will pave the way for the careers of STUBS’ faculty members and staffs.

Invited by EFMD, Prof. Zongling Xu, Dean of the Business School, addressed that the EPAS accreditation recognized the high commitments and efforts to undergraduate education by the STUBS. As Prof. Peihua Gu，Provost of Shantou University，said in the interview with the Peer Review Team, the Advanced Undergraduate Education is central to the journey of STU’s effort to further the Higher Education reform in China with the support from the Li Ka Shing Foundation. The EPAS accreditation of STUBS BBA program benefits a lot from the generous support from the Li Ka Shing Foundation and numerous stakeholders. This acknowledgement not only lays a milestone of STUBS’ internationalization, but also becomes a forceful driver for the continuous improvement and upgrading of STUBS.

Reference:

EFMD, was founded in 1971, with the mission to advance the development of management program in the world. It has more than 750 organizations in 81 countries, including first-class business schools, consulting firms, and public organizations in the world.

EPAS (EFMD Programme Accreditation System) is a quality accreditation system managed by the Foundation for Management Development. 71 accredited programmes from 55 institutions in 24 countries have been granted an EPAS accreditation.